Can a gay person be changed by 'reparative therapy'?

By

Dr. Drew staff

Updated 9:29 AM EST,

Thu November 29, 2012

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation into law that prohibits attempts to change the sexual orientation of patients under age 18.

As a result, two therapists who practice “reparative therapy” and a student who says he was successfully converted to heterosexuality, are suing nearly two dozen California state officials, including Brown, saying a new state law infringes on their civil rights.

Joining HLN’s Dr. Drew Wednesday night to talk about the issue was David Pickup, a spokesman for the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality. He once lived life as a gay man -- but says he was able to maximize his “heterosexual potential through authentic reparative therapy.”

Also on the program was Ryan Kendall who says that when his parents found out that he was gay, they sent him for this therapy -- but he claims it almost killed him.